Hafengold Residential Development (Germany)
Low-energy homes with waterfront views
The former port area on the Main river in Offenbach, Germany, has developed into a much sought-after place to live and work. Nine open-plan residential blocks located on the Port Island (Hafeninsel) offer an unimpeded view of the surrounding water. And, noise from the outside or the neighbours is no problem, thanks to the KS-QUADRO sand-lime brick used in their construction.
Many cities are making use of former port facilities, which are no longer needed as industrial logistics centers, to develop attractive, waterfront neighbourhoods. In Offenbach, in the heart of a metropolitan region, project developer Deutsche Wohnwerte GmbH & Co. KG chose a peninsula in the Main River – just 1.5 km from downtown Offenbach – as the location for its Hafengold residential development. “Here, work-life balance is more than an idea, it’s a way of life,” boasts the website advertising the nine, high-end buildings on the Port Island. And, the concept is working, as all 151 condominium apartments have found buyers already. For the entire area, OPG Offenbacher Projektentwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, together with the city administration of Offenbach, have found a balanced mix of living space with room for work, education, culture, and recreation to revitalise the former industrial landscape.
The project also took into account the balance of ecological and socio-cultural aspects. The residential buildings were designed to be low-energy houses, with annual primary energy consumption only 55 percent that of comparable new buildings in accordance with EnEV 2009 standards. The intelligent interior design of the buildings means that all of the two- to four-room apartments ranging in size from 66 to 125 m² are south-facing.
All load-bearing walls – including separation walls between the apartments – were made with KS-QUADRO building bricks from Heidelberg Materials' subsidiary Heidelberger Kalksandstein. These massive building bricks offer more than just comfort within the home. Their superior structural characteristics also ensure superior acoustic insulation, which is particularly important in a top-quality residential environment with diverse people and lifestyles. Over an area of 11,500 m², this means nearly 2,000 m³ of sand-lime brick laid by tower crane within one year under the supervision of Matthias Lipp of construction firm Adolf Lupp (Nidda, Germany).
In the basements and parking garages, the light-coloured bricks unhidden in places, showing the interior structure of the walls. The outer surfaces are plastered or tucked behind decorative facade elements.
Space to relax in the urban environment can be found in the park directly at the front door and surrounding the entire ensemble. The smart placement of planters and various pavement stones separates the private from the public spaces.
